Bayside Church

Thankyou for your television programme,I like your discussion format it make me think on my ideas and that is good. Your recent programme on how we treat others, was interesting, I had a friend who's second language was christianese. Ken Jennings Votes: +0

Dear Pastor Rob, You are a Legend in the true sense of christianity and humanity. I have loved Jesus and lived with the Holy Spirit since I was 7 years old, I am now 60yrs of age. When my son was a wee boy, I had a sense that he might be different, he was very creative and extremely spiritual. He was the only one of my 3 children that constantly asked about God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. He would often put on plays when he was young and they were all in the Christian mould. As a mother I kept a vigilant eye on him, and gave all the love in the wold to nurture this very special and kind boy, but sometimes that is not enough; he was misled at an all boys school, and discovered his homosexuality, something that deep down I knew he was. Was I disappointed? Oh yes! Why? because of what society would say and do to him. My son is one of the kindest and most caring young man I know. He looks after the sick and needy, shows great love and respect to the elderly and the list goes on. He even gave himself to God when he was 18yrs old, but the huge none acceptance in the Churches drove him away. I hope and pray that one day he will come back to the church, he would have been a great expample of true christian behaviour, and Yes! he was born that way, and our Lord made him. Votes: +6

Zizi,

Your an amazing Dad. More Dads like you I say. Not just because your son is gay and how you treated him but that your first thought was to protect your son from a sometimes cruel world.

Thanks for sharing.
Shane Votes: +1

Dear Rob -- thank you for sharing about these things. God make me more gracious please.
I was reminded about the apostle Peter (as recored in Luke chapter 5) -- he said to Jesus (note the order) "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man !" (NIV) -- Jesus' answer was "Don't be afraid; from now on .....". I thank God with all I am that he ever called me into relationship with him, me who was the most undeserving of all people (just like everyone else for that matter). We are ambassadors of reconciliation. Votes: +2

Dear Ps Rob,
I think that many people get confused between the person and the sin and they associated sin with people. God loves people but detests sin - he separates the two. I have found over the years that many Christians confuse sin and people they believe that if a person sins then God detests them. This is the furthest from the truth as it is by the Lord's grace that we are acceptable to him.
The other confusion that many people have is that they tend to rank sins. Getting a bit agro with your wife over an issue is a minor sin and can be overlooked while being gay is a major sin and gays should be condemned. Ultimately, the penalty for both is the SAME....which means in God's eyes there is no difference between the two.
The challenge for Christians is to ALWAYS love the person and not the sin that a person may be currently doing.

It's really important that we never accept or condone sin but we do accept and love people. It's what Jesus did and it's what we should do.......be a light unto the world not an inferno of condemnation.
For example, I have a number of gay friends and some Christians have wondered how I can associate with them. It's really quite simple for me. I love them but at no stage do I accept their lifestyle. Because of the love a strange thing happens.....they respect me a lot because I don't condemn them as people. Votes: +3

From the other side of the globe (South East USA), I thank you for your message. I also listened to your audio message. I pray that your kind spirit and Biblical teaching spreads throughout the earth.

I am a 52 year old, former pastor, fourth generation spirit-filled believer, living my life as a gay man, seeking God's will and purpose for my life. After over 10 years of living "the lifestyle", I have recommitted myself to serve Him wholly. I pray that soon, God will open doors of ministry to reach the lost GLBT community with the message you so beautifully delivered.

Thank you and may God continue to bless your life and ministry. Votes: +1

It's amazing how when Christians speak the truth about God's infinite love how other Christians are the first to condemn. Well done Rob. Once again you demonstrate courage to speak what you see as truth with such Grace. It wasn't that long ago that divorcees were shunned in the church, and certainly from ministry. So too those who danced from Baptist Churches and others. We are so good at uncompromising judgement but God has shown us a better way through Jesus.
When he prayed "Father forgive them for they know not what they do" his prayer was significant because:

1.In praying it showed he had a loving and forgiving attitude
2.They were still cursing him and crucifying him - he didn't wait for them to stop or repent before he showed them unconditional love
3.Those he prayed for included everyone who condemned him either through actions or inaction and of course included the people of faith the Chief Priests and their officials observing his torture and death.

Keep up the great work for our great God and ALL he loves.
Votes: +1

I am sorry not to have told you how BRILLIANT this post was when I first read it. brilliant.
Good luck setting up the table to interview obese people. Votes: +0

I love what you're saying, Ps Rob. It's all these things that "qualify" us for his grace, it's exactly why we NEED Jesus. Votes: +0

Thankyou Pastor, my thoughts exactly, Jesus Loved each person He met first and then spoke of their sin in a kind loving way. We have been involved with many who are homosexual and how could they change if we didn't Love them first, it's not that we accept their sin and behavior anymore than a drug addict but if we shut each person out of the church who has sin in their lives it would be empty. We are the church, what do we do when we meet someone down the street who is homosexual, say hello this is what Jesus would do. My daughter made friends with a shop keeper here in Perth, she introduced my husband and I and she spoke about her new girlfriend, after my husband and I left she asked my daughter what we do for a job in which she said Pastors. This girl was horrified she had spoken like she had, we visit her shop each time we went to the city, she has become involved in our whole family's lives, she came to my daughter wedding in April and the change in her is dramatic, has she accepted Jesus into her life yet? No but she will, she is having counselling the the abuse that happened to her as a child and is now dating a man. Love conquers Allan's lives change through Jesus, we may have been her only chance and if we had condemned her and walked away how is that showing Gods Love, we talk about so much with her and she is just beautiful.
Wanted to share one of our many stories, Bless you as the Lord uses you to rock the boat.
Kita Stringer -WA Australia Votes: +0